The Jewish Press has been widely and wildly criticized for giving voice to a young Turkish, Muslim author named Sinem Tezyapar, who is, essentially, a spokesperson for author and television personality Adnan Oktar, pen named Harun Yahya, also a Turkish religious Muslim.

Oktar and his followers (feel free to use the terms “Sect” or “Cult,” it’s not anything they haven’t heard before) are no friends of the secularist establishment in Turkey. Oktar himself has done some serious time in Turkish prison, and his followers live in constant fear of persecution. They are also hated and regularly harassed by fascistic Muslims such as the Al Qaida thugs.

After a fairly jaded start, in which Oktar, or people in his employ, published several books denying the Holocaust and attacking Israel, this Muslim leader began a kind of transformation. He became better acquainted with Judaism and with Zionist history through some new Jewish friends (e.g. Jerusalem-based writer Ehud Tokatly) he was making over the Internet. He recognized his mistakes, apologized for the Holocaust denial book–which he had not authored, and started forging a brand new Muslim vision of a peaceful Middle East in which Israel is not only a Jewish Homeland ruling over its entire biblical territory, but also a place where the Jewish Temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem to become the center of adoration by the entire faithful world.

In addition, Adnan Oktar has played host to major Jewish and Israeli figures, including former Israeli Chief Rabbi Israel Lau, the late Rabbi Menachem Froman, and several past and present Israeli politicians, including many of the Shas leadership.

Sinem Tezyapar, essentially representing her teacher’s lessons, has been laboring over the virtual pages of The Jewish Press to debate against Islamic antisemitism, and presenting through cited verses a positive and optimistic vision of the Koran. At every turn, she has expressed nothing but love and acceptance of Jews and the Torah tradition. I’ve been responsible for bringing her work to this website and for preparing it for publication, and so I’ve been intimately familiar with it. There are no false notes here, no hidden agendas.

And so I was taken aback by the vitriolic response of so many of our readers, who attacked Sinem either as a naïve simpleton who doesn’t really understand what a hateful religion she follows, or a sinister Svengali, looking to trap innocent Jews in her web of lies.

At this stage of the game, the caustic debate has spread beyond our own website, to dedicated websites and Facebook pages, intended to smear both the author and us, the supposedly duped Jewish Press. That’s why I feel compelled to respond, so that we’re on the record, rather than to allow some outsider decide what our position might be.

For the record, then, and please feel free to copy and paste this to your hearts’ content (you got that, Israel Matzav?), here are the reasons why The Jewish Press has been publishing these articles:

First, Sinem and Oktar are not promoting terrorism, on the contrary, they openly and unequivocally denounce violence, hatred, anti-Semitism and terrorism.

That’s huge. As a Jew, member of a persecuted minority, my first inquiry regarding a gentile person must be: is he interested in killing me? It’s also recommended to anyone else when picking friends and loved ones, but to Jews it’s absolutely essential.

So, while millions of Muslims want me dead in many different hellish ways, these folks from Istanbul don’t. I find it refreshing and a very good start towards a better future. In fact, once I’m convinced—and I am—that they don’t want me dead, I don’t really care how truly devout they are, how chaste they are (or are not), and what are their preferred peccadilloes. It’s a group of monotheistic gentiles what don’t want me dead – I’m totally happy.

Second, they are preaching an alternative interpretation of Islam, promoting peace, love, tolerance and democracy.

They live in Turkey, for crying out loud, don’t you think they know that most Muslim leaders and followers the world over disagree with them? But they have the courage, even the chutzpah, to tell the world—and they publish unabashedly on Muslim and Arab websites as well—what Islam should be.

Unlike some American sitting in his Mom’s basement, typing away how naïve Sinem is, she is actually putting her money—and her life—where her keyboard is. And she’s doing it patiently, humbly, never an angry word, never a snappy retort. I couldn’t do it, honestly.

So we discovered these lovely Muslim peaceniks, who are lovey-dovey about Jews and Israel, and who completely ignore the grim realities of a billion Muslims out there who hate us. Fine. It still means these strange Muslim don’t want me dead, right? That definitely goes on the plus side in my ledger.

Third, they support Israel’s right to exist as an independent Jewish State, based on the Koran, they pray for the coming of the King Mashiach ben David, they support the right of Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, they oppose Holocaust denial, they support the rebuilding of the Third Temple on the same Temple Mount. Is it any wonder they are being accused by radical Islamists that they are Zionist agents?

A recent Al Qaida attack in Istanbul, I’m told, was in retaliation for Oktar’s hosting of Rabbi Lau.

So, Muslim peaceniks, don’t want to kill me, and they’re saying my country belongs to me. Beats my European friends who say I must give away another two thirds of my country so that my neighbors might agree I have the right to exist.

Fourth, it is in our own interest to embrace friends of the Jews and of Israel. Plenty of Jews happily embrace messianic evangelicals who write openly that all they want is for us to convert to Christianity, and they even know that we’re all going there, like it or not, when That Man supposedly returns. We trumpet any pope who says we no longer have to pay for crucifying what’s his name. We’re a tiny nation, we can’t afford to scoff at anyone who wants to be our friend and lives up to it.

So, please, people, get with it. We’re in a war for our lives in which every friend counts. Enough with the crazy talkbacks.

Yori Yanover

About the Author:Yori Yanover has been a working journalist since age 17, before he enlisted and worked for Ba'Machane Nachal. Since then he has worked for Israel Shelanu, the US supplement of Yedioth, JCN18.com, USAJewish.com, Lubavitch News Service, Arutz 7 (as DJ on the high seas), and the Grand Street News. He has published Dancing and Crying, a colorful and intimate portrait of the last two years in the life of the late Lubavitch Rebbe, (in Hebrew), and
two fun books in English: The Cabalist's Daughter: A Novel of Practical Messianic Redemption, and How Would God REALLY Vote.

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And we are explicitly ordered by the Torah to kill all Canaanites, all Amalekites, adulterers, idol worshipers, and rebellious sons, not to mention to inflict retaliatory blindings. At least that would be your impression if you read the Torah without a background in rabbinic writings. Islam is the same way; any commandment to kill Jews was nullified by Caliph Omar in the early 7th century. The facts are that the rabbinic attitude towards Islam is actually more favorable than their attitude towards Christianity, and that while living under Muslim rule was generally no picnic for Jews, it was far better than the crusades, expulsions, inquisitions, pogroms, and holocaust that the Christians gave us.

Yori Yanover …and you never heard of taquiyya, kitman or any of the other "fool" the kafir concepts of Islam? You do Jews a huge DISservice by continuing to publish this stuff and to believe it. Most Jews don't believe it.

Yori, except for one paragraph about "That Man" I think that your article is great. Right on! I wish I had your gift of getting straight to the point – graphically! wham! You ought to be in Media. The only thing I want to add – This may be a new interpretation of Islam, or may be diving and delving into the "spiritual application" of Islam. No matter. And as I see it, it's needed, and, what is more, that's what is continually being done by the Tanakh, and rightly. I do not see any Orthodox Jews stoning their rebelious children a la the Torah, at least not in Brooklyn or Tallahassee, at least not in public.

Yori, your take on this is exactly why I sought out Sinem as a friend on facebook. I was so impressed with her attitude towards us Jews. I'm sure you and I can point out all the reasons why Muslims are taught to hate us from the Koran, but if there are those who can go above those statements and rise to care to be our friends anyway, then bless them for doing so. I just hope there are others who want to befriend us and not hate us.

Edit…Delete…Bernhard Rosenberg · 64 years old.
Here is proof that the murderers in Boston are extremists Muslims. It is in Russian, II had someone translate it. It is his Facebook with extremist Muslim beliefs. Check out it out for yourself. My Synagogue and I have been threatened and damage was done to my garage door. and side of the house. This was sent by me to the Edison police and the F.B.I.

Nanette CohenRayman — You're forgetting that 6 million Jews were annihilated by European Christians. And yet, when today Germans, Poles and others extend a hand of peace to us, we grab it. It's what small nationa do to survive, grab whatever friends are out there. Surely Hitler was a worse person than the Mufti, and yet you don't seem so irate at the notion of Jews living in peace with Germans.

So what are they actually doing besides self-promotion? It's truly sickening to listen to their Koran thumping on Facebook. How are they better than the Xtian missionaries if they want to re-ottomanize the mideast. It's just a power delusion. http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1643.htm

Dang I Hate liars and Decievers, who manipulate truth to their gain, even if it costs 100's or millions their lives. But i don't want or need to kill them. The God of Israel ''IS'' Still in full Control and He Is Getting Ready to intervene in the near future.. There is Still a God in and over Israel.. Amein?

Yanover is right, of course. The problem in this 2007 film is with the statement by Mr. Oktar that Zionism wants to rule the world.
Mr. Oktar is human. He is influenced by what he reads – and has not sufficient knowledge to refute. Mr. Oktar differentiated between religious Zionists, with whom he says he has no problem, on one hand, and secular Zionists, about whom Mr. Oktar believed that the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are correct. Notice that this film is from 2007. Recently he has learned that the Protocols are entirely false, and that they were published before secular Zionism was established. See also http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/turkish-muslim-leader-calls-erdogan-on-his-zionism-slur/2013/03/07/

Yanover knows about Takiyya. Takiyya is a factor in evaluation of what one hears. Yanover has indicated a reply to this also.
I hope to post in a day or two a comprehensive article.

Why don't you have on Nazis to tell us of the beauty of Wagner, Goethe and Handel? Why do Jews in Brooklyn need to be subjected to this kind of pathological liar and his troupe of blonde bombshell zombies? : http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1643.htm

Yori, you sound like a U.S. commentator, Wolf Blitzer, who said that Huma Abedin shouldn't be vetted because he knows her and thinks she's a nice person. "First," you explain, "Sinem and Oktar are not promoting terrorism, on the contrary, they openly and unequivocally denounce violence, hatred, anti-Semitism and terrorism." So we're supposed to like and trust Sinem and Oktar because they say that they don't want to kill us, and that's what makes Sinem's articles newsworthy? Do you realize how absurd that sounds? And your opinion is based on what factual evidence: because the say so?

Who told you that, Yori: Oktar? I was told it was in retaliation for prancing his harem around as sexual candy! Who should we believe, my source or yours? Your other reasons for trusting and promoting their message are even more absurd: they support Israel's right to exist, the coming of the Mashiach, the right for Jews to pray at the Temple Mount, and they oppose Holocaust denial, which the evidence seems to dispute. We should be dancing for joy!

If you are the person who is responsible for approving Sinem's article for publication, it was a terrible decision and the height of disrespect and insensitivity to the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing. Sinem used and exploited this tragedy to promote her own agenda and apparently your personal opinions, which is disgraceful. It's a slap in the face to the victims and their families and grossly undermines their pain and suffering with a dismissive message of so-called "peace" and "love," adding insult to dire injury in the face of a violent tragedy. I have friends and family who were there, and I find her "opinions" deeply offensive. This was neither the appropriate place or time.

Sinem's article is an egregious affront, not only to reality itself, but to the victims as well, And why wouldn't you give voice to the victims instead? What qualifies Sinem to weigh in on this tragedy from her perch in Turkey? How are her opinions on the Boston Marathon Bombing newsworthy and relevant, if not for the sake of propaganda, and you have become an arm for and of it?

The victims and their families want the truth, not Sinem's whitewashed version of it. I can only imagine how I would feel if one of my friends or family members was a victim, and I read Sinem's following statement, essentially calling me a hatemonger, hysterical, a propagandist, a lynch mob, and a criminal:

"Since these are times when emotions are high and people want quick justice," Sinem writes, "they sometimes seek targets to direct their anger. But inciting hatred, raising conflict and enmity, hatemongering, engaging in one-sided, aggressive propaganda and creating a climate of hysteria, or using the internet to incite a lynch mob, are also crimes."

Of course the victims and their families want justice, and they have every reason and right to direct their anger at the perpetrators, as well as at the violent ideology that prompted the attack–much more right than Sinem has to offer her unsolicited opinions.

The Jewish Press has a responsibility to its readership to ensure the credibility of its authors and what it approves for press. You call this responsible journalism, debasing the victims and their families for seeking justice and truth?

True friends don't dismiss their friends' pain and deceive one another. True friends don't deny and whitewash the truth, as Sinem and Oktar do about the Boston Marathon Bombing, the Hadith, and the Koran. They face it head on and acknowledge it, so that trust can be forged and peace achieved through honest and real discourse. Sinem has lies and, as a result, loses all credibility.

The issue of abrogation has emerged time and time again in comments here, as well as through articles that The Jewish Press has published. Yet, you still choose to ignore it.

We spend hours a day to raise awareness about the realities Israel and the Jewish community face. Sinem and Oktar muddy the waters. According to Sinem, Islam is a loving and peaceful ideology, and those who deviate are the exceptions. In other words, it has nothing to do with the teachings.

Terrorism, also according to Sinem, is reserved for the mentally deviant and individual psychosis. This flies in the face of reality and suggests that Israel is the aggressor:

"The use of the concept of 'jihad' for acts of aggression against innocent people is a great distortion of the true meaning of the term. Jihad—meaning to strive, to show an effort—is about telling people about Islam with knowledge, culture, love, affection and compassion; and to tell people the truth kindly, to treat them warmly, to respect their ideas, not to be ruthless toward them or shed blood, kill or hurt people or kill oneself."

Unfortunately, Sinem's statement about Jihad fly in the face of reality. This is what you've deemed as sincere? The Muslim Brotherhood has also weighed in on the subject in "An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group In North America," which is a government Exhibit in the largest U.S. terrorist fundraising trial, U.S.A. v. Holy Land, et. al:

"The process of settlement is a 'Civilization-Jihadist Process' with all the word means. The Ikhwan must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all other religions. Without this level of understanding, we are not up to this challenge and have not prepared ourselves for Jihad yet. It is a Muslim's destiny to perform Jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes, and there is no escape from that destiny except for those who chose to slack. But, would the slackers and the Mujahedeen be equal." (http://tiny.cc/3ftyvw, 7).

Jihad is incumbent upon all Muslims.

You have no business picking and choosing sides and telling us who our real friends are and who they should be. You lose credibility when you do. Your obligation is to your predominantly Jewish readership. Whether or not you personally believe that Adnan Oktar has evolved and is sincere is inconsequential. Besides which, you have negligently provided only one side of the story, leaving out all other vital details and background information about him, preventing readers from reaching their own informed conclusions.

Even more, this should not be a matter of tolerance, your opinions, my opinions, the opinions of other readers, the opinions and/or endorsements of Israeli leaders, or those of an individual Muslim who reinterprets and puts his or her own sordid spin on the Koran and Islamic teachings. This is about honesty and reality that focus on the real issues and that are rooted in fact.

A Muslim who is genuine and truly wants peace will acknowledge and address the true contents and teachings of Koranic Scripture and disavow rather than deny and whitewash the violence endemic to it. Trust can therefore be gained, and sincerity can be based on and gauged by truth and honest discourse. Then, positive relations can ensue. If a Muslim claims to preach truth but lies, all credibility is lost. Sinem has not earned my trust, nor has she demonstrated credibility, because she bases her message of peace on lies and distortions of Koranic texts.

Rafi Schutzer — I watched the Memri copy of the Al Jazeera interview you posted. There was nothing there I did not know. You've posted it so many times here — and you'll note we didn't delete the multiple postings, and we didn't delete any of the negative commnets, because we aim to be a place for the free exchange of opinions.

You need to understand that we're not promoting this group because they're wonderful, or that we aspire to their lifestyle. We give them voice — as we do yours — because they promote peace, today. They seek out friendly meetings with Jewish and Israeli leaders. Anyone who thinks we should reject this is, obviously, entitled to their opinion, but I fail to see why you and two or three extremely dedicated posters are so hell bent on NOT having friends.

As to your accusing The Jewish Press of taking money — who pays you to spend all this time posting and re-posting those URLs?

See? That sword is double edged, and it doesn't dignify either one of us.

I took the liberty of visiting your page and I saw that you like Shlomo Carlebach's music. How do you think Shlomo would have responded to a hand of peace extended by a gentile?

Lisa Michelle · My sources on the validity of the Oktar group are comprised of Israeli men of faith whom I know and respect who have visited them in Istanbul, met, chatted, and exchanged points of view.

But to you it won't matter, because the next thing you'll say is that they, too, were duped, or paid off, or had orgies with those "candy women." Because you're a zealot. It's okay, you're entitled to your feverish opinion, as to your dozens of attack tweets, it's what zealots do.

I could go point by point and challenge your assertions, and you would still come back with the same ones, as if I hadn't written a word.

You ask if I realize how absurd I sound — and leave it there as if you've proven anything. But you haven't. There is no comparison between Huma Abedin, the wife of a U.S. former elected official who works for the State Dept. and this case. The former needed to be vetted not because she was Muslim, but because she had direct access to sensitive state information and a few members of her family are known Muslim Brothers.

How are the two cases similar? Because both are Muslim? Seriously?

Then you're waving the flag of the people killed by two crazy murderers, suggesting that any call for reasoned thinking and striving for peace defiles the memory of the victims. So, it's only about nuking Arabs now? That's the only avenue left? No appeal to reason? Everyone who says they're against murder are suspect by virtue of their saying so?

Liad Bar-el · Thank you for the link. Kol hakavod for offering a media source that disproofs your position. I applaud your intellectual honesty. The linked story praises Oktar for offering to negotiate between Israel and Adrogan, and saying: Let's first agree not to spill blood. The article says Oktar is a great supporter of Israel. Every word in the article you linked proves my point and then some. Especially Oktar's idea that religious leaders should enlist in helping politicians get away from warlike stances.

A picture of one who represents a religion, Islam, which was founded upon murder, prays, teaches and implements the destruction of infidels including Jews and this Islamist is now close to Rabbi Lau in pictures of acts of friendship. This all follows Muhammad’s plan and history of insurgency… to make peace so that later conquest and victory of destruction can happen. You bought into it Yori and with great “het” you are leading the Jewish Press readers into it as well.

Yori Yanover No, you're convoluting the issues and mischaracterizing me. Please don't speak for me. I am not a "zealot," as you allege, but I care deeply about issues concerning Israel and the Jewish community. You don't even know me, so it's extremely presumptuous of you and unbecoming, I might add, to name-call and presume what matters to me and doesn't or what the next thing I'll say or do is, but the fact that you did speaks volumes about you instead.

People who resort to name-calling tactics usually have nothing left in their arsenal but to attack, try to marginalize, and pigeon-hole the opposition. The evidence about Adnan Oktar and his sordid history, which is putting it mildly, speaks for itself and far outweighs any accusations that you sling at me and your unsubstantiated, rather careless, haphazard investigative approach to authenticate Sinem's and Oktar's claims, which you clearly base merely upon suppositions, your opinion, and those of others. Contrast this to the plethora of contradictory evidence.

Similarly, you have conveniently taken out of context my comparison of you to Wolf Blitzer and his comments about Huma Abedin during an interview he had conducted with the former Republican Presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich. It was intended to underscore your mishandling of Sinem's columns and the absurdity of your assertions that Sinem and Oktar are, in your opinion, reliable sources to be trusted simply because you know them, like them, and think so. Your opinion doesn't replace or exempt you from your journalistic responsibilities: to fact check and to provide your readership with sufficient, objective research and information to form and reach their own educated conclusions.

Nevertheless, your mishandling of this is no less dangerous. You are a resource for public information but have obfuscated that responsibility and betrayed us for your sorely misguided and misplaced loyalty to Sinem and Oktar, as well as for the opinions of a couple of politicians and rabbis – albeit, we have been down this path before. It wouldn't be the first time in Jewish history when rabbis and leaders have steered their communities down a catastrophic path to demise. It's quite a leap of faith to base the legitimacy of your sources on mere opinions. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll do the footwork myself instead and decide for myself those who I choose to lead and put my faith in.

Still, rather than own up to your mistakes and journalistic responsibility, which would show integrity and some respect for us here, you chose to attack me on a personal basis and put words into my mouth instead. I never once said that anyone was "paid off, or had orgies with those 'candy women’ [i.e., Oktar’s harem] ." I said that, contrary to your claim that the recent Al Qaida attack in Istanbul was in "retaliation for Oktar’s hosting of Rabbi Lau," my source informed me that it was in retaliation for the way that he has paraded around his female followers as "sexual candy" — conduct that doesn’t sit particularly well with Islamic theology and practices. I do know, however, that out of 20 of my Facebook friends who I share in common with Sinem, none of them — not a one — is female, which is an interesting phenomenon to note, wouldn't you say? If you were honest with yourself and your readership, you would ask yourself why you think that this is. You might also be well-advised to consider the reason why Oktar and his harem almost exclusively target the non-Muslim community, preaching to those who don’t need convincing about a message of peace and love for the world, instead of confronting the community from whence the violence stems and is in desperate need of reformation. The only plausible explanation to be gleaned is to convince us that the messenger and message aren’t frauds, while using us unwittingly to promote their hidden agenda and to disarm us from the very real threats of worldwide Jihad. After all, we certainly don’t have a shortage of wise and scholarly Jewish voices, who would gladly convey a similar message of peace, love, and Torah – if only they had a visible stage on which they could share it.

Finally, and perhaps worst of all, is your trivialization of the pain and suffering of the Boston Marathon Bombing victims when you mimic Sinem's spurious claims, turn the tables from you onto me, resort to name-calling tactics again, and accuse me of "waving the flag of the people killed by two crazy murderers, suggesting that any call for reasoned thinking and striving for peace defiles the memory of the victims." Yori, are you now claiming to be our voice of reason? I certainly hope not, because if you are, I think that I’ll take a pass. To reduce the serious terrorist threat that we face to a couple of "crazies" defies almost every media report and expert assessment that has been released. Remind me not to count on you as the source for information and facts.

As I mentioned earlier, I am not a zealot. I’m just a reader and pro-Israel advocate, who cares deeply about the issues and understands just how vital it is to ensure an accurate, realistic narrative, so that our community isn’t exploited and used to promote a dangerous message: one that distorts the realities of a violent ideology, exploits our sensibilities, and ultimately jeopardizes our safety by handing over the spotlight to a couple of narcissistic “crazies,” who you have elevated nearly to idol status, and giving their lies a public venue and voice.

Yori, instead of wasting your time berating me, why don’t you stop trying to excuse the inexcusable, and show some integrity here? Man-up, step up to the plate, and just admit that you made a rotten and careless mistake.

Lisa Michelle · My apologies if you were insulted, I had no intention to hurt your feelings. I called you a zealot because I honestly reached the conclusion that it would make no difference how valid my arguments, you are simply unwilling to entertain the notion that Muslims who publish articles in favor of Israel, or present interpretations of the Koran that are not antisemitic are at all possible in God's universe.

It's not so bad to be a zealot, it requires little effort and is not at all dangerous as one gets to stick with the familiar, philosophically and otherwise. My conversation with you and Liad Bar-el reminded me of those medieval witch trials, where they checked a woman for witchcraft by drowning her in the river. If she floated she was a witch and they hung her, if she died she wasn't a witch.

Neither one of you is able to open even a crack of a window to examine to possibility that my information is valid, that I checked it out, that I have it on very good authority. Those aren't even possibilities for you.

So, once again, I apologize for hurting your feelings, I wish you all the best, and I hope that some day you'll get to meet a Muslim you could trust — and isn't dead.

The main point here is still being missed. Sinem Tezyapar has consistently taken to lying about well known Islamic precepts such as for example, jihad, which has no fundamental basis in reality as well as in Islamic jurisprudence. Making stuff up as you go along does nothing to buttress her ''credibility'', instead, it makes her a complete ignoramus, assuming she's basing her opinion on ignorance instead of other nefarious intents.

Also, her mentor Adnan Oktar, is a conspiracy nut who believes and delivers Muslim Brotherhood rhetoric about the Free Masons, as well as adhering to classic fundamentalist (basic Islam 101) understandings about Christianity's central figure, deeming him as a Muslim, who will return to destroy Christianity.

This is only to show that his basic understandings of Islam is fundamentalist in origin, that people of other faiths (Jews and Christians) really don't have their own religion, they are part and parcel, of Islamic origins. It shows that he is no moderate, and anything he says should be judged under that rubric. Plus his links to the Trukish ruling party, the fundamentalist AKP, who ARE INDEED Jew haters, only serves to highlight his extremism.

Looking for Muslim ''moderates'' is a bumpy ride, as they case of Oktar and Tezyapar shows us.

Kenneth Sikorski · Not easily confused by the facts, are you. Let's do the math, then: How many Jews were killed by Muslims over the years? Since there were no major pogroms even near the European magnitude in Muslim countries, I suspect the overall figure is less than 100 thousand, probably a lot less.

How many of my Jewish brothers and sisters have been murdered by Christians over the past 2000 years? Many, many millions.

Under what religious majority was the most thriving Jewish center in history, bar none? Yes, indeed, 500 golden years under the rule of Islam.

And who interrupted those wonderful years of Jewish thriving in all areas of life? Yes, the Christians, who then proceeded to exile my Jewish brothers and sisters.

Looking for Muslim moderates may be a bumpy ride, but at least the record suggests they have been there and could be there once more.

But European Christians? Who would be mad enough to seek their alliance or friendship?

What is it you're saying, the Christians have evolved and some of them no longer harbor hatred towards the Jews? How wonderful.

But Muslims are genetically incapable of having friendly ties with Jews ever again? Is that it?

Nonsense Charlie it was not "nullified" and Muslims all over the world on Islamic State run TV broadcast to hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world quote the hadith to kill Jews. And while in the Torah the Hebrews were told to kill the Canaanites there is no current standing order to kill anyone. "Thou shall not Kill" is not something Muslims believe in. What you're saying is absolute ignorant nonsense.

Islam is the only religion that calls for the murder, genocide, and domination of other religions. There is no law in the bible that dictates to kill Muslims, non-believers, or a goal of world domination.
Sahih Bukhari Hadith Volume 4, Book 52, Number 176: Narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: Allah's Apostle said, "You (i.e. Muslims) will fight with the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will (betray them) saying, 'O 'Abdullah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.'" Sahih Bukhari Hadith Volume 4, Book 52, Number 177: Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him."

Yori, you have NOT lived under these people. My family has. And they died under them, too. I am a Jew of Egyptian and Turkish heritage. If you want to risk your own life, knock your socks off. But now, you are deceiving other Jews, and that is where you need to stop.

You can begin by stop revising history. You are either incredibly ignorant of history, or lying. Which is it?

* There absolutely were major pograms against the Jews by Muslims. You conveniently forget about the 900,000 + Sefardim run out of their homes, businesses, with just the clothes on their backs in 1948.

*You seem to forget the ethnic cleansing by the Muslims when Jordan attacked Israel and butchered Jews and occupied a portion of Jerusalem and Judea and Sumaria for 19 years. The Arab Riots of 1920, 1929, 1932 and 1936- 39…. They can't blame "Settlements" for that, now can they?

* What about the butchering of the 3 largest Jewish tribes in Medina, by Mohammad and his warriors? You can read all about that one in the Koran- It is glorified. Did you even know that there were more Jews in Arabia, than Arabs at one time?

*Persecution of Jews is once again going on- with the Jews of Iran, the Jews of Turkey, Yemen, what few left in Egypt, and now, Tunisia.

Did you know where that infamous yellow star came from? Not the Nazis. It was from the Muslims. It was a part of a long, historical list of humiliations and pograms against the Jews, throughout M.E. history. Get a Jewish history book and READ IT.

You need to research and learn about your own people's history before you cause more harm.You can begin by reading the Koran. The Koran teaches that Jews must die. Paradise can't happen until there is not a single Jew left. That is fact. That is their law. Read the Haddiths. It is all very clear. There is no mistaking their intent.

If they are a Muslim, then this is what they believe. And, they are to accomplish the extermination of Jews by any method they can, including lulling the infidel into lowering their guard. It is called "taquiyya", and you have 2 trojan horses doing exactly that to you.

The Christians did indeed kiil millions upon millions of us. But the Muslims came in very close, and were just as barbaric.

Idiots like you should go live under Muslim rule. It will open your eyes. And if you survive, you will learn. In the meantime, us "Arab Jews" are still trying to get remaining families out of these nations- because they are living in fear, getting butchered, and being persecuted …..AGAIN.

Well said, Robbie. I was about to respond myself, but you covered most bases. I'm just concerned that by default, Yori's omission of pertinent facts, whether deliberate or stunningly naive, would leave his readers in the dark.

The way you and some of your readers are responding, one could think that we're dealing with a small sandlot cult community of worshippers whose most pressing concern of the day is what sized worry beads to fumble around in their sweaty palms. We are dealing with an ideology whose adherents are AT WAR WITH US. We have to know exactly what they are thinking, what texts they draw inspiration from and justification. There is no way in the world intellegence communities would be better served with Sinem Tezyapar's utter garbage that jihad means peace and love. This is pure nonsense, and dangerous nonsense as well.

Thanks to Yori Yanover for this excellent writing. I read it with pleasure. Love and understanding is the solution for the troubles still going on the world. We should really get rid of any bias that puts us in different sides.

Absurd. Who are they to "interpret" Islam? Islam is perfect; it cannot be interpreted by individual believers. What allah has already decided cannot be questioned, every muslim child knows that. It has to be taken straight up, undiluted, unquestioned.

"Peace" in Islam comes when the Infidels are conquered and subjected to Islamic law, which means they pay the jiziya with willing submission while feeling subdued, or killed. There is no "love" in the Koran, (except for fellow muslims), "tolerance" means the opposite, and democracy is un-Islamic.

That deluded liberal Jews fall for this trash is annoying. Have you taken a look at Adnan Oktar's website and his harem of hookers?

Your "golden age of al Andalus"is rubbish. Its a myth. Reality is that Jews thrived in Christian countries, (yes, there were pogroms and millions were killed by the Nazis) but there is no ideology in Europe or elsewhere cloaked as a religion that calls for genocide of all Jews, only Islam does that.

This is a correction request that I asked from MEMRI TV.
Dear sir,
I am contacting you on behalf of Mr. Adnan Oktar. His words about Zionism in the below link is not subtitled correctly. I assume that Al Jazeera might have edited and translated in a way that is coherent to its own ideology. But if you will listen to the Turkish original uncut film which was recorded and broadcasted on Harun Yahya websites, he is not against zionism. That is why he says IF there is such and such…. so he is referring to an imaginary zionism… However the film presents him as someone against zionism.http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1643.htm
The Turkish transcript is like this:
ADNAN OKTAR: Siyonizm de aynı şekilde. Eğer dünyaya hakim olmayı düşünen, diğer dinleri reddeden, tek bir dinin hakimiyetini iddia eden, diğer insanları kabul etmeyen bir ideoloji varsa ortada, tabiki ben buna karşı mücadele ederim.Ama böyle bir iddiası yoksa bir insanın, ona birşey demem. Ehl-i Kitaptır museviler. Yani kendi dinini yaşamak istiyorsa, kendi ülkesinde oturmak istiyorsa istediği gibi oturur istediği gibi yaşar. Ona saygı duyarım, ama “Bu bana yetmiyor, ben bütün dünyaya hakim olacağım ve bütün dinleri ortadan kaldıracağım, sadece ben kalacağım diyorsa” bunu kabul etmem tabii.
The English translation is like this:
ADNAN OKTAR: Zionism is the same, of course. If there is an ideology that aims to rule the world, that rejects other religions, that claims the dominion of a single religion and rejects other people and tries to impose its ideology on them, I will of course fight it. But if somebody does not espouse such ideas, then there is nothing I can say. The Jews are a People of the Book. If they want to practice their own religion, if they want to live in their own country, they should stay and live freely in their own country. I respect that, but, if they say “This is not enough for me. I am going to rule the whole world and will destroy all other religions, so that only I survive”, that I cannot accept.
We will kindly ask for your editing or removal of the film that is misleading. And I can send many many links where Mr. Adnan Oktar advocates the rights of Jews to dwell in the Holy Land, to have their own sovereign state.
Best regards
Ms. Sinem Tezyapar
TURKEY, Istanbul

This is a correction request that I asked from MEMRI TV.
Dear sir,
I am contacting you on behalf of Mr. Adnan Oktar. His words about Zionism in the below link is not subtitled correctly. I assume that Al Jazeera might have edited and translated in a way that is coherent to its own ideology. But if you will listen to the Turkish original uncut film which was recorded and broadcasted on Harun Yahya websites, he is not against zionism. That is why he says IF there is such and such…. so he is referring to an imaginary zionism… However the film presents him as someone against zionism.http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1643.htm
The Turkish transcript is like this:
ADNAN OKTAR: Siyonizm de aynı şekilde. Eğer dünyaya hakim olmayı düşünen, diğer dinleri reddeden, tek bir dinin hakimiyetini iddia eden, diğer insanları kabul etmeyen bir ideoloji varsa ortada, tabiki ben buna karşı mücadele ederim.Ama böyle bir iddiası yoksa bir insanın, ona birşey demem. Ehl-i Kitaptır museviler. Yani kendi dinini yaşamak istiyorsa, kendi ülkesinde oturmak istiyorsa istediği gibi oturur istediği gibi yaşar. Ona saygı duyarım, ama “Bu bana yetmiyor, ben bütün dünyaya hakim olacağım ve bütün dinleri ortadan kaldıracağım, sadece ben kalacağım diyorsa” bunu kabul etmem tabii.
The English translation is like this:
ADNAN OKTAR: Zionism is the same, of course. If there is an ideology that aims to rule the world, that rejects other religions, that claims the dominion of a single religion and rejects other people and tries to impose its ideology on them, I will of course fight it. But if somebody does not espouse such ideas, then there is nothing I can say. The Jews are a People of the Book. If they want to practice their own religion, if they want to live in their own country, they should stay and live freely in their own country. I respect that, but, if they say “This is not enough for me. I am going to rule the whole world and will destroy all other religions, so that only I survive”, that I cannot accept.
We will kindly ask for your editing or removal of the film that is misleading. And I can send many many links where Mr. Adnan Oktar advocates the rights of Jews to dwell in the Holy Land, to have their own sovereign state.
Best regards
Ms. Sinem Tezyapar
TURKEY, Istanbul

Sinem, You point out that what Adnan actually said speaking Turkish, was something possible, hypothetical, and not as the English indicates Adnan actually saying it is so. You translate the Turkish showing the tentative thought in Adnan's mind rather than assertion that it is so. I want to point out that the English translation on the screen is accurate to the Arabic translation of the narrator,. The Narrator says "yanbaghi…uqawima" "It is necessary for me to oppose it", or "I am obligated to fight it" as the main clause and not as the conditioned phrase. So the fault is really intentional as I see it. Adnan raises a situation, probably knowing the context in which he speaks, and really does leave it open to an if- possibly because there are other and important things to say, and he doesn't want to stop the discussions in argument. But the Arabic clearly removes the "if" to it all, and makes Adnan come down on the side against Zionism. Then the English on the screen, accurately translates, not Adnan, but the Arabic of the narrator. – I think!

Sinem, You point out that what Adnan actually said speaking Turkish, was something possible, hypothetical, and not as the English indicates Adnan actually saying it is so. You translate the Turkish showing the tentative thought in Adnan's mind rather than assertion that it is so. I want to point out that the English translation on the screen is accurate to the Arabic translation of the narrator,. The Narrator says "yanbaghi…uqawima" "It is necessary for me to oppose it", or "I am obligated to fight it" as the main clause and not as the conditioned phrase. So the fault is really intentional as I see it. Adnan raises a situation, probably knowing the context in which he speaks, and really does leave it open to an if- possibly because there are other and important things to say, and he doesn't want to stop the discussions in argument. But the Arabic clearly removes the "if" to it all, and makes Adnan come down on the side against Zionism. Then the English on the screen, accurately translates, not Adnan, but the Arabic of the narrator. – I think!

Actually the holy books are correctly read when a scholar knows history of different lands, meaning he should know the truth about world history. If one starts interpreting holy book with own personal knowledge , its wrong. they say..The blind leading blind..we should learn our history well and then we can visualise the holy books. As a Muslim I can only say that we behave exactly like Jews when coming to politics, but when we come to religion we should organise ourselves well and not start killing, slandering, butchering people. The salafi school of thought disregards such gentle precautions and make us rough with others. We should all work for peace and not war.

Bert Schlossberg – i cried many tears until gilad came home & would go to his parents tent down the street from our PM's home until he was returned, thus i can't "like" your video because this nightmare happens around the world

"I am contacting you on behalf of Mr. Adnan Oktar" – when he becomes PM of your nation he'll earn a reply

hasip – my name in east jerusalem is abu-bakr & among my close friends yahudi majnoon

If what Oktar and Sinem want is for Muslims to put down their animus and their arms toward the Jews, and live together as friends…it would seem that the people they should be talking to about their kinder gentler understanding of Islam is their fellow Muslims–not selling themselves to the Jews as if they represent a movement (which does not in fact appear to go beyond Oktar and his sirens). Let them advocate for Israel with the Turkish government. Let them organize demonstrations and teach-ins and protests. Let them inveigh against the slanders and the violence against the Jewish people, that are routine among their co-religionists.

Dear Ms. Sinem, Is it possible for you to post the original, unedited interview given to Al Jazeera, IN TURKISH? It would help to compare and see how it was distorted.
Secondly, shouldn't your demand for correction be addressed to Al Jazeera (rather than MEMRI) because they are the ones who distorted it?
Looking forward for the link to original clip so we can hear what was really said.
Thank you

If Rabbi Lau takes Oktar at face value and believes that he is trying to build bridges between our people, isn't that good enough?
Oktar and Sinem etc are doing a lot of good work, and it's unreasonable to presume bad intentions behind good words.

Also, quoting the Quran as if they indicate that Muslims must all automatically believe and take literally every single passage is a bit ridiculous.
That's basically presuming that 1.6 billion people are extremists. A lot of Jews (the majority, I'd venture) don't take every single part of the Torah literally and many of our great scholars have taken the view that certain things may be allegory for a very long time (Maimonides, etc.)

If anyone here can honestly say that they haven't met a good-hearted, kind, peace-loving Muslim in their entire life, then I would like to humbly suggest that they really need to get out more.

is now made public that beginning with a raid in July of 2012 and ending in February of 2013, an Al Qaida ring had been smashed in Turkey's two main cities Istanbul and Ankara, and also in the smaller Corlu district, with weapon storage and explosives.
Turkish police and counter terrorist units had arrested 12 people, including eight Turks, two Azeris and two Chechens, and had seized 700 kilos (1,500 pounds) of explosives, along with assault rifles, ammunition, bomb-making instructions and detailed maps of Ankara and the floor plans of the attack targets. Computers had been found. Forensic analysis of the computers’ contents and other documents revealed preparations for bomb attacks on the American embassy, the private Rahmi M. Koc Museum, and a synagogue in the Balat district of Istanbul. Found also was an assassination plan (along with the floor plan of his home) with the name its intended target – Adnan Oktar.

"Within the scope of investigation (No. 2012/229) carried by Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Anti-Terror Branch Office performed an operation against the Al-Aida Organisation in Tekirdağ and Istanbul on the date 27.02.2013. As a result of the examination made on the digital data obtained from the homes of the targeted people, it is determined that the addresses of the houses and offices of Adnan Oktar were scouted." (Offical police document given on basis of Oktar's designation as an intended target).

"Al-Qaeda members were captured with 22 kilos A-4 explosives.all the headlines were "they were going to cover everywhere with blood" Hurriyat News (Turkish).

“And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing) to mislead (men) from the path of Allaah…” [Luqmaan 31:6]

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“[Allaah said to Iblees:] And befool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice (i.e. songs, music, and any other call for Allaah’s disobedience)…” [al-Israa’ 17:64]

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Among my ummah there will certainly be people who permit zinaa, silk, alcohol and musical instruments…” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari ta’leeqan, no. 5590; narrated as mawsool by al-Tabaraani and al-Bayhaqi. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah by al-Albaani, 91).

With regard to dancing, it is not permissible in front of men, non-mahrams, mahrams or women, because of the fitnah that may be caused by the movements of the body. It is well known that women may feel desire for one another, and even if that is not the case, there is no guarantee that one of them will not go back to her menfolk and describe to them what she has seen of the beauty of the dancer and her movement, so this may affect the men and may cause a great deal of mischief. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade such things.

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No woman should look at another woman then describe her to her husband so that it is as if he can see her.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4839.

In the early days the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) allowed effeminate men to enter upon woman, but when he saw one of them describing women and disclosing their secrets, he forbade them from doing that.

It was narrated from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her): The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon me and there was an effeminate man with me. I heard him say to ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Umayyah, “O ‘Abd-Allaah, if Allaah should enable you to conquer al-Taa’if tomorrow you should look for the daughter of Ghaylaan…” then he described her. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “These people should not enter upon you.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3980; Muslim, 4048.

In the First video which i attached Adnan said wahabi are not coming or they are hiding themselves and not come in front to discuss.. And now in this video he is giving date by his own calculation that when mehdi came and when wahabi scholars came to discuss he didn't said anything regarding mehdi they said infront of adnan no one knows the date.. ..

It is not permissible to shake hands with a non-mahram woman, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For one of you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him than to touch a woman who is not permissible for him.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani from the hadeeth of Ma’qil ibn Yasaar; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (5045).

It makes no difference whether the woman is young or old, because of the general meaning of this hadeeth.

Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (29/296).

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I do not shake hands with women” – and this included old women as well as others. And ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “By Allaah, the hand of the Messenger of Allaah never touched the hand of any woman” – meaning women who were not his mahrams, and when he accepted their oaths of allegiance to him, it was by words only.